Transverse flow blower with high velocity discharge



Dec. 10, 1968 D. z. GLUCKSMAN 3,415,443

TRANSVERSE FLOW BLOWER WITH HIGH VELOCITY DISCHARGE Filed May 23, 1966 IN V EN TOR.

00 v Z2 2 v /ucksman United States Patent 3,415,443 TRANSVERSE FLOW BLOWER WITH HIGH VELOCITY DISCHARGE Dov Z. Glucksmau, Torrington, Conn., assignor to The Torrington Manufacturing Company, Torrington, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,327 4 Claims. (Cl. 230-125) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A high velocity transverse flow blower unit having a recirculation cup which is relatively short and deep and which is provided with a reversely curved section adjacent the inlet to induce a tight high velocity vortex.

This invention relates in general to improvements in transverse flow blowers of the type wherein fluid is conveyed from an inlet by a rotor transversely of the rotor to and through a pressure chamber at the generally opposite side of the rotor and is discharged through an outlet associated with the pressure chamber.

In the operation of blowers of this type, it is known that a vortex center is produced on the high pressure or outlet side of the rotor. A portion of the fluid that flows from the inlet and through the rotor is directly discharged through the outlet, however, a portion of the fluid also rotates about the vortex center at high velocity and in the same direction as the rotor and re-enters the rotor and recirculates therethrough. Due to the nature of the flow the vortex center tends to move in a direction opposite to the direction of rotor rotation as pressure increases at the blower outlet. Thus, when the outlet is constricted to effect a narrow fluid discharge stream and a high velocity discharge the vortex tends to move generally into the path of fluid flowing outwardly from the rotor and may assume a position where it virtually prevents fluid flow from reaching the outlet. As outlet pressure increases the recirculation of high velocity flow around the vortex also increases which further reduces the efliciency of the unit and which also tends to produce undesirable noise levels therein.

To compensate for the aforementioned undesirable internal fluid flow characteristic, the blower of the present invention embodies a novel housing structure which induces the vortex center to assume a stable position near the periphery of the rotor and out of the path of the main flow stream from the rotor to the outlet.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a transverse flow blower of improved efliciency.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compact transverse flow blower of relatively low fluid characteristics and which discharges a narrow stream of fluid at a relatively high velocity.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved transverse flow blower of simple design and durable construction for economical manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawing forming a part thereof.

The drawing shows a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed and that the drawing and description are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawing; the figure is a somewhat schematic cross-sectional view of a transverse flow blower embodying the present invention.

The transverse flow-blower of the illustrated embodiment comprises a housing indicated generally at 10 which has a fluid inlet 12 and a high pressure chamber 14 which includes a fluid outlet 16. A rotor indicated generally at 18 is at least partially disposed within the housing 10 between the inlet 12 and the chamber 14 and is rotatable about an axis 20 in a pre-determined direction to convey fluid from the inlet 12 to and through the chamber 14 and outwardly through the outlet 16. Also included in the housing is a recirculating cup 22 which opens to the chamber 14 and along the periphery of the rotor and which serves to effect a desired fluid flow Within the housing in response to the rotation of the rotor in a manner which will be hereinafter further discussed.

Preferably, the rotor 18 is generally drum-shaped and includes a plurality of generally axially elongated circumaxially spaced blades 24, 24 supported by a plurality of rings or discs such as 26, 26. Each of the blades 24, 24 is generally concave in the direction of rotation which in the illustrated embodiment is shown to be clockwise. The rotor 18 is journalled for rotation with at least a arc of the rotor periphery disclosed in the housing, but preferably the peripheral are disposed therein is between 200 and 260 degrees.

The housing 10 is characterized by thin walls, a generally volute shape and a preferably generally rectangular cross section. Two spaced apart generally axially extending walls 28 and 30 which form part of the housing 10 each partially define the inlet 12, the pressure chamber 14 and the associated outlet 16. One wall 28 which forms one side of the housing includes a first part 32 which defines the recirculating cup 22 and a second part 34 which forms one side of the chamber 14. The other wall 30 curves generally volutely outwardly from the inlet 12 to the outlet 16 to form another side of the housing. Preferably, the wall 30 turns through an angle of between 130 and between the inlet 12 and the outlet 16 and generally establishes the directional path of fluid flow shown at 15 as being less than 35 of rotor diameter.

At this point it should be noted that the cross section of the inlet 12 is substantially larger than the cross section of the outlet 16. In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the cross-sectional area of the inlet is greater than twice the cross-sectional area of the outlet. Further, and as will be apparent from the drawing the outlet is of relatively limited width. The length of the outlet is substantially coextensive with rotor length as is conventional and the width, normal to the length, is shown at 15 as being less than 35% of rotor diameter.

Considering now the recirculation cup 22 it will be seen that the first part 32 of the wall 28 has a generally axially extending edge 36 proximate the periphery of the rotor 18. The first part 32 also includes a reversely curved first wall portion 38 which extends outwardly from the edge 36. The first wall portion 38 lies between an axial plane 40 which passes through the edge 36 and a plane 42 which is normal to the axial plane 40 and parallel to the axis 20 and which extends outwardly from the edge 36 in the general direction of rotation of the rotor 18. An included angle 44 between the first wall portion 38 and the axial plane 40 is less than 70 and preferably the said angle is greater than 5 and less than 20. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the included angle 44 is approximately 15.

At this point it should be noted that the noise level and pressure characteristics of the blower are somewhat effected by the position of the edge 36 relative to the periphery of the rotor. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the edge 36 is spaced radially outwardly from the periphery of the rotor in a compromise position wherein noise generation is reduced with some slight sacrifice of blower pressure. Preferably, the space between the edge 36 and the periphery of the rotor 18 is approximately equal to 0.10 rotor diameter.

The outermost portion of the recirculating cup 22 is defined by a generally axially extending concave inwardly opening second wall portion 46 which curves arcuately outwardly from the first wall portion 38. A generally axially extending third wall portion 48 extends inwardly from the second wall portion 46 and intersects the second wall part 34 along an edge 50 to further define the recirculating cup 22. An included angle 52 is formed between the second wall part 34 and the third wall portion 48 which is preferably acute. Further and as will be apparent from the drawing the extent of the recirculation cup along the rotor periphery is relatively short and is defined by an included angle 19 which is substantially less than 45.

As the rotor 18 rotates about its axis at a predetermined speed fluid is caused to flow inwardly through the inlet 12 and transversely of the rotor and its intersticed blades as indicated in the drawing, the general path of flow being indicated by arrows. A tight high velocity fluid flow vortex 54 is formed within the rotor and due to the novel configuration of the recirculating cup 22 tends to assume a stable position near the periphery of the rotor and adjacent the recirculation cup 22 so as to be out of the path of high velocity fluid flow from the rotor toward the outlet 16 as shown in the drawing. Thus the vortex exerts minimal impedance upon fluid which flows outwardly from the rotor toward the outlet 16. This reduction in impedance also effects a corresponding reduction in the recirculation of high velocity flow within the housing which in turn results in a reduction in the operational noise level of the blower.

The recirculating fluid Which flows inwardly toward the rotor tends to assume a path of flow generally parallel to the reversely curved wall 38 and to re-enter the rotor in a generally radial direction or in a direction opposing the direction of rotation. Thus the recirculating cup 22 and particularly the wall 38 effects a desirable fluid flow re-entry condition thereby increasing blower efficiency.

The invention claimed is:

1. A transverse flow blower comprising a rotor having a plurality of generally axially elongated circumaxially spaced blades, a housing including two spaced apart generally axially extending walls each partially defining a fluid inlet and a high pressure chamber having a fluid outlet, said rotor being at least partially disposed in said housing between said inlet and said chamber and rotatable in a predetermined direction to convey fluid from said inlet and through said chamber and said outlet, and a recirculation cup defined by a first part of one wall of said housing and opening to said chamber and extending along the periphery of said rotor through an angle substantially less than 45, said first part of said one wall including a generally axially extending edge adjacent the periphery of said rotor and a first wall portion extending outwardly from said edge, said first wall portion lying between an axial plane which extends through said edge and a plane which is normal to said axial plane and which extends outwardly from said edge in the general direction of rotation of said rotor, the angle between said first wall portion and said axial plane being approximately 15 degrees, said first part of said one wall having a generally axially extending concave inwardly opening second wall portion curving arcuately outwardly from said first wall portion and including a generally axially extending third wall portion extending inwardly from said second portion, said one wall having a second part intersecting said third wall portion of said first wall part and partially defining said chamber.

2. A transverse flow blower as set forth in claim 1 wherein the angle between said first wall portion and said axial plane is approximately 15 degrees.

3. A transverse flow blower as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of said inlet is greater than twice the cross-sectional area of said outlet.

4. A transverse flow blower as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outlet has normal length and width dimensions the former of which is substantially coextensive with rotor length and the latter of which is less than 35% of rotor diameter.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1963 Eck 230125 7/1963 Coester. 5/ 1906 Davidson. 5/1906 Davidson. 12/1906 Davidson. 4/ 1965 Dutwyler. 5/1966 Eck et al. 230125 7/1963 Eck 230-125 10/1893 Mortier 230125 5/1967 Laing 230-125 FOREIGN PATENTS 1/1962 France. 8/1928 Great Britain.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 230133 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,415,443 December 10, 1968 Dov Z. Glucksman It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 45, "aforementioned" should read aforedescribed line 54, "fluid should read flow Solumn 2, line 22, "disclosed" should read disposed line 59, "shown at 15 as being less than 35% of rotor diameter" ;hould read from the inlet to the outlet Column 3, Line 50, after "inlet" insert to Signed and sealed this 10th day of March 1970.

HEAL) ttest:

lward M. Fletcher, Jr. E.

ttesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

